Pet Wellness Packages: Are They Worth It?

If your vet has talked to you about a Wellness Pacakage for your fur-baby, you may be wondering how the different tests benefit your pet and if they're really worth the money. 

Dr. Tanner Tracy breaks down the tests and services that are offered in our Wellness Packages here at Tracy Animal Hospital, how they benefit your pet’s health, and how paying up front for wellness services can save you money in the long run.  

Preventative Health

Wellness Packages are designed to reduce your cost as a pet owner for preventative services that help your pet live longer, healthier lives.  Most pet owners will take their fur-baby to the vet when they notice a decline in their pet’s health. The concern is that dogs and cats can’t tell you that they aren’t well. Health complications and symptoms present themselves in different ways. By the time that you notice something is wrong, a disease or an illness may have already progressed and done lasting damage to your pet’s health.
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Wellness Packages include several tests that help veterinarians identify and treat illnesses before they affect your pet’s long-term health – this helps your pet live a longer, healthier life and can save you money on treatment options. The cost of services and medication is also significantly less than treating the disease or health complication. It all starts with a baseline exam of your pet’s health.

Why Is It Important To Get A Baseline Of My Pet's Health?

​When you get a baseline of your pet’s health, you get a snapshot of how different organs are functioning at that moment in time. Because dogs and cats age so much more quickly than people do, it's crucial that they make it into the pet clinic every year get these preventative services. Think of it this way: One human year is about 5-7 dog or cat years. When your pet goes to the vet every year, it’s the equivalent of you going to the doctor every 5-7 years! A lot can happen in 5-7 years and going to the doctor helps catch any possible health complications and even life-threating. The goal is to help pets live long and healthy lives. Veterinarians monitor the results every year and compare them to the original baseline to identify potential changes that are indicators of illness and disease in your pet.

What Is The Difference Between An Annual Physical Exam And A Wellness Package?

Having Your Pet come in for a physical exam is good, but there are things we simply can’t catch. During an exam, we could have suspicions about a disease, but running bloodwork, a urinalysis and a fecal examination can help in diagnosing a disease so that the appropriate treatment can take place. Some of the health complications that we’ve been able to catch by doing bloodwork, a urinalysis, a heartworm test (for canines), and a fecal float (stool sample) have included:

• Kidney dysfunction
• Liver dysfunction
• Infection
• Thyroid problems
• Heartworm disease
• Diabetes
• Presence of parasites

What Is Included In A Pet Wellness Package?

​At Tracy Animal Hospital, we believe in recommending only what your pet needs in order to help make pet care more accessible and affordable. Our Pet Wellness Packages include the tests that inform us of any potential health concerns. While Pet Wellness Packages can vary from clinic to clinic, the following services are included at most animal hospitals. During the initial visit with your fur-baby, we perform these tests and get what is known as a baseline – or starting point – snapshot of your pet’s health.

Comprehensive Exam
We perform an annual exam for your dog or cat that includes a head to tail check: eyes, ears, mouth, heart & lung sound, skin & coat health, teeth, etc. We'll discuss any concerns that you may have as well as go over any findings.

Full  Bloodwork Panel
Extensive blood work tests allow us to perform a routine check of the body's internal organ function including kidney function, liver function, and red & white blood cells. 
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Vaccinations
Canines

•  Rabies Vaccination
• DHLPP Vaccine : protects against distempter, hepatitis, leptospirosis, parainfluenza, parvovirus
• Bordatella Vaccine

Felines

• Feline Rabies
• Feline Distemper
• Feline Leukemia (optional)

Stool & Fecal Exam (2x per year)
A fecal exam is a microscopic evaluation of feces which allows us to screen for internal parasites. This is performed every 6 months.

Heartworm Test (For our Canine Friends)
We perform a specific blood test annually in order to detect Heartworm disease. It is also required before heartworm prevention medication can be purchased.

Senior Pets
Dogs are considered senior pets by the age of 7, and cats are considered senior pets by the age of 9. For this reason, our pet clinic offers additional testing as part of our wellness packages to monitor your dog or cat's health throughout their senior years. As animals age, the likelikood of endocrine issues arise, thyroid being the most common. For this reason, our senior friends need additional tests to help monitor kidney and thyroid function.  
 
Additional Discounts
We love perks and discounts as much as anyone!
Our pet parents save an additional 5% on the following services when they enroll their pet into one of our Wellness Packages:

• nail trim
• microchip
• heartworm medication
• shampoo
• flea/tick medication

You can also save 15% of dental cleanings and dental services year round!
​(excludes prescription diets & surgery)

How Is a Pet Wellness Package More Cost Effective?

Each test and service that benefits your pet has a unique price. Pet Wellness Packages are meant to reward pet parents for signing up in advance for these services and reduce the overall cost of care over a year's time. Let's consider the Canine Adult Wellness Package offered here at Tracy Animal Hospital:
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• When you add up the individual cost of the comprehensive exam, the full bloodwork panel, all necessary vaccinations, 2 fecal examinations, and the heartworm test the total comes out to $420. 
• The cost of the Adult Canine Wellness Package is $325 saving pet parents $95 right up front. Over the year, pet parents who sign their pet up for this package will get an additional 5% off of nail trims, microchip, heartworm medication, shampoo, and flea/tick medication. There is an additional 15% taken off of dental cleanings throughout the year as well! 

Pet care can be more manageable when considering the costs up front and budgeting for your pet's needs. 

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Do you have question about our Wellness Packages? Ask our front desk staff and Dr. Tanner Tracy Wellness Package options when you are here. 

Call (281) 970-0601 or click here to request an appointment online.

We accept CareCredit and are seeing new patients.  ​

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